Highland to check for dog licenses
Highland is taking a major step to curtail irresponsible pet ownership, but a new program may cost pet owners lacking dog licenses or other certificates more than $100.
The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Animal Care and Control Division today began door-to-door visits in Highland to ensure all dogs have a current rabies vaccination and dog license. The program will not address cats.
The program is slated to run until July 4. About 8,200 housing units will be visited throughout the city, said Lynda Louden, an animal licensing supervisor with the county.
Three county animal license officers will work from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and visit about 200 homes per day during the course of the program, Louden said.
The City Council adopted the approach to increase responsible pet ownership and educate residents on the benefits of pet licensure.
Chuck Dantuono, the city's director of administrative services, said another goal is to encourage pet owners to have their dogs spayed or neutered, also called having a dog altered.
"If you look at our animal control costs over the past few years, it's been increasing," Dantuono said. "If we can reduce the amount of roaming dogs through sterilization, hopefully our animal control costs will be less."
The City Council voted in December to increase the licensing fee for unaltered dogs from $40 to $96 dollars.
The objective of the fee increase is to encourage more pet owners to have their dog altered, Dantuono said. It costs $15 to license an altered dog.
This fiscal year, the city has budgeted about $291,000 to pay for animal control services it contracts through the county. About $70,000 of that will pay for the license-check program, Dantuono said.
The city expects to recover that cost from revenues it collects through the program, Dantuono said.
Over the next two fiscal years, about $390,000 and $410,000 will be budgeted for those costs, respectively, Dantuono said. The city expects higher licensing fees to reduce its animal control costs in about 10 years, Dantuono said.
"It takes time to see that wave come through," Dantuono said.
Louden suggests residents find their dog license receipt and rabies vaccination certificate so they're prepared in case an officer stops at their home.
If an owner has none of this paperwork they'll be asked to pay the licensing fee immediately, Louden said.
and if they don't have the money right there and then, what are they gonna take our pet away cause we cant pay, last time they came around they threaten to take my nieghbors dog away becuase she had no lincence and no money right at the time